Premier League: Liverpool lengthen lead at high, Arsenal slip up at West Ham

(Reuters) – Liverpool opened up a seven-point hole on the high of the Premier League with a 1-Zero win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, whereas Arsenal’s poor away kind continued with a 1-Zero defeat at West Ham United.

With nearest challengers Manchester Metropolis not enjoying till Monday, Liverpool went into their conflict at Brighton on the again of two successive defeats in all competitions and had been made to work arduous for the three factors.

Neither facet had a single shot on the right track within the first half, with the match settled by a Mohamed Salah penalty within the second half. Liverpool’s 50th clear sheet underneath Juergen Klopp carried them house.

Fourth-placed Chelsea opened up a six-point hole over Arsenal in fifth with a 2-1 win over Newcastle United within the day’s late fixture.

Arsenal’s defeat means they’ve now received simply certainly one of their final seven matches on the highway within the Premier League. If Manchester United beat third-placed Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Sunday, they will draw stage on 41 factors with Arsenal.

There was no such slip-up from Liverpool, even when Brighton didn’t make it simple for the league leaders.

Roberto Firmino got here near giving his facet the lead early within the first half however couldn’t join with Andrew Robertson’s low cross.

For all their possession, although, they struggled to create any significant probabilities. Pascal Gross’s clumsy problem on Salah earned Liverpool the penalty which the Egyptian transformed with aplomb.

As soon as once more, Liverpool’s defence stood agency as they noticed out the win. Liverpool have conceded simply 10 objectives of their 22 league matches this season; solely Chelsea in 2004-05 had conceded fewer after 22 matches in an English top-flight season.

“It’s important to work arduous if you wish to achieve success and we had been prepared for it,” supervisor Juergen Klopp stated. “Be prepared for the defending, be prepared for the counter-press and be able to make options.

“I believe it was probably the most mature efficiency we’ve made up to now. We take all of the factors. That’s the state of affairs. It’s cool however we all know that the distinction tomorrow and Monday night time might be totally different. We are able to solely focus on ourselves.”

ARSENAL’S STRUGGLES CONTINUE

After their 22-match unbeaten run in all competitions got here to an finish at Southampton in mid-December, Arsenal have struggled to seek out their kind, with their away performances of specific concern.

On Saturday, mustering simply two pictures on the right track in opposition to West Ham on the London Stadium, Arsenal’s decline continued.

West Ham comfortably held on after Declan Rice bought his first objective for the facet — changing into the primary teenager to attain a Premier League objective for them in nearly 10 years.

“It’s a nasty outcome for us,” Arsenal supervisor Unai Emery stated. “It’s regarding as a result of we must be aggressive at house and away. At house we really feel good however away we aren’t getting the outcomes we wish.”

Pedro got here in for Bayern Munich goal Callum Hudson-Odoi for Chelsea in opposition to Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, with the Spaniard opening the scoring within the ninth minute earlier than Ciaran Clark levelled for Newcastle 5 minutes earlier than halftime.

Willian was the match winner for Chelsea as he brilliantly curled the ball into the web to attain his first league objective because the finish of October to safe the factors for Chelsea.

“I believe it’s all the time tough within the Premier League,” Willian stated. “We have now to be extra medical.

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“I believe the character was good and crucial (factor) is to win the sport. I scored a great objective. I discovered the area and put the ball precisely the place I wished.”

On the backside, Southampton continued their fantastic kind away from house as they earned a hard-fought 2-1 win at Leicester Metropolis, regardless of having performed half of the match with 10 males.

Burnley’s fourth win in a row lifted them to 15th within the desk after they got here from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Fulham, whereas backside facet Huddersfield City had been held to a Zero-Zero draw at Cardiff Metropolis.